In the city lord's mansion of the border town of Rock City, an old man listened to his subordinate's report: "Ye Suzhe has failed."
He let out a cold laugh: "Truly a waste. Fortunately, I placed a hidden piece in the Ye family. Ye Feng, don't disappoint me."
"Father, please save Suzhe." Yue Yinuo ran over crying, kneeling and begging: "If you don't save Suzhe soon, he'll really die."
Yue Jie'ao took a sip of tea dismissively: "Hmph, just a waste. Let him die."
Yue Yinuo choked up, clutching her belly: "But he's your son-in-law, the father of my child. Can you really bear to let the child be born without a father?"
Yue Jie'ao grew angry, slamming the table: "What did I tell you before? I told you to seduce Ye Suzhe to help us rebel, and never to fall for him. It seems you've forgotten everything."
Yue Yinuo snapped awake: It's over. Not only can I not save Suzhe, but the child might not survive either. No, I must protect me and his child.
Sure enough, a terrifying voice came: "Take the abortion pill."
Yue Yinuo took the pill flying toward her and obediently replied: "Yes." She tilted her head and swallowed it.
Yue Jie'ao nodded and waved for her to leave.
"Lanshan, come with me to the Ye family army camp today."
Ye Lanshan leaned lazily in her chair: "Not going."
Ye Luotian looked at her helplessly and sighed: "I know you blame Grandpa for deceiving you, but I had no choice. Back then, I was indeed poisoned with Soft Tendon Powder and couldn't use any profound force, so I activated the formation."
"Mm, I know?" Ye Lanshan replied lazily.
Ye Luotian grew irritated at her lazy demeanor: "You don't know a thing. Do you know how much effort I spent to recover my profound force?"
Ye Lanshan picked her ear calmly: "Mind your manners. If others find out the head of the Ye family acts like this, they'll laugh their heads off."
Ye Luotian sighed: "What will it take for you to go?"
Ye Lanshan stared straight at him, her eyes seeming to see through everything: "Are you really that eager to dump the burden on me?"
Ignoring Ye Luotian, who wanted to speak, she continued: "Do you think doing this will keep me safe? Do you think handing everything to me will make things easier for you? Do you think this will help you find my father?"
"Let me make it clear: I won't be safe, you won't be at ease, and you definitely won't find my father."
Her words struck him hard, leaving him unable to retort. Back then, he could have come out, but because of Ye Feng's disappearance, he stayed to use a secret method to find him.
At that time, he never imagined Ye Suzhe would treat Lanshan this way. Otherwise, he would have given up searching for Ye Feng and come out to take charge.
But now, his time was running out. Otherwise, he wouldn't have used such a method to protect Lanshan.
"What? Nothing to say? If there's nothing, I'll be going." Ye Lanshan stood up and walked out.
A few days later, Ye Luotian sat in the main seat and said to a weary Ye Lanshan: "Go out and train. Don't worry about the Ye family. Come back when you want to." He hunched over and walked out, seeming to have aged many years in that moment.
Ye Lanshan watched his old, stooped back. Perhaps because of the original body, she felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.
Oh well, maybe fate brought me here to experience this kind of family bond. After all, the old man has been pretty good to me these past few days.
"Wait, weren't you eager for me to inherit the family head position before? Now you want to back out?"
Ye Luotian turned around excitedly: "You're willing to inherit the family head position?"
Ye Lanshan didn't say she was willing, only: "Take me to the army camp."
Ye Luotian beamed: "Good, I'll take you now."
On the camp training ground, Ye Lanshan stood before the three armies: "I know many of you don't accept me. You think I'm a weak little brat with low profound force, that I know nothing and am unfit to be your commander."
Ye Luotian angrily interrupted: "Lanshan, if anyone dares defy you, tell Grandpa, and I'll teach them a lesson."
Ye Lanshan shook her head helplessly: "Grandpa, I want them to submit willingly, not just outwardly out of fear of your authority. Don't interfere in this."
Ye Luotian felt quite satisfied hearing this. Truly my granddaughter, with the same spirit I had back then.
Ye Lanshan looked at the soldiers whose eyes flashed with disdain and said nothing, only: "Gather on the training ground at the hour of the rabbit tomorrow."
Ye Luotian hurried after the already departing Ye Lanshan: "Lanshan, are you sure you don't need my help? Don't think they're easy to subdue. They're tough nuts to crack."
Ye Lanshan said domineeringly: "Even if they're iron, I'll still bite through them."
At the hour of the rabbit, Ye Lanshan arrived at the training ground and angrily shouted at the lazy soldiers: "Look at yourselves. Do you even look like soldiers? If an enemy came, they'd wipe you out in no time."
A soldier mocked: "Just a little brat. This is called camouflage, to make the enemy let their guard down so we can strike when they're off guard, get it?"
Ye Lanshan didn't get angry but smiled instead: "How about I make a bet with you?"
"Bet what?"
Ye Lanshan: "Send ten men to fight me. If I lose, I'll let you do whatever you want with me. But if I win, you'll obey my orders without any objections. Deal?"
The soldiers thought, isn't this a challenge? Fine, since you dare provoke us, we'll show you.
They picked ten very skilled soldiers to fight.
The ten soldiers laughed: "Little girl, don't cry when you lose."
Ye Lanshan stood among them and sneered: "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm definitely winning this time."
The ten soldiers flew into a rage and immediately used their best moves. But before their skills could be unleashed, their clothes were slashed by Ye Lanshan.
Ye Lanshan said coldly: "You know, if my dagger had cut a little deeper, you'd be dead."
They looked at their clothes, which could no longer be called clothes, exchanged glances, and finally knelt: "We lost, and we're convinced. From now on, we'll follow the commander's orders."
What? Those were the best among us, battle-hardened veterans who could overcome stronger foes, and they all lost. How strong must she be? Maybe under her leadership, we can reclaim our former glory.